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Midlands Bureau Chief
A 20-YEAR-OLD Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) student has been sentenced to six months in prison for dumping her two-day old baby boy in a plastic bag by the roadside.

The baby is lucky to be alive after he was picked by school children who took him to the Social Welfare Department at Zvishavane District Hospital where he is well and being looked after.

Tinevimbo Zhou told a court she decided to dump her baby after spending two days with him because “I didn’t know what to do with him” since she is still at university.

Zhou of Mupanduki Village in Chief Masunda’s area in Zvishavane appeared before Zvishavane magistrate Mr Archie Wochiunga facing one count of abandoning an infant in conditions or in circumstances that may cause death from exposure.

She pleaded guilty.

Mr Wochiunga sentenced her to six months in prison before suspending three months on condition of good behaviour.

The other three months were suspended on condition she performs 105 hours of community service at Chigwiku Clinic in Zvishavane.

It was the State case that on December 14, Zhou who was nine months pregnant left home for Chirere area where her aunt stays.

The court heard that along the way, Zhou gave birth to a baby boy.

Zhou stayed in the bush for two days with the baby, the court heard.

On December 16, she decided to dump the baby by the side of the road.

Zhou returned home where her mother discovered that she had given birth and questioned her.

The court heard Zhou told her mother she had dumped the baby.

A report was made to the police leading to her arrest.

Mr Tinashe Muponda appeared for the State.